Toy display mechanism



Nov. 5, 1963 H. HILL 3,109,250

TOY DISPLAY MECHANISM Filed Oct. 12, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 F I 2INVENTOR.

HARRY HILL ATTORNEY SfSheets-Sheet 2 FIG.4

INVENTOR. HARRY HILL ATTORNEY H. HILL TOY DISPLAY MECHANISM Nov. 5, 1963Filed Oct. 12, 1959 Nov; 5, 1963 HILL 3,109,250

TOY DISPLAY MECHANISM Filed Oct. 12, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet z 23 26 as ffas28 37 7 FIG. 6

FIG. 7

INVENTOR HARRY HILL AT ORNEY United States Patent 3,109,250 TOY DISPLAYMECHANISM Harry Hill, 8470 Clara Bell Drive, Arvada, Colo. Filed Get.12, 1959, Ser. No. 845,940 1 Claim. (Cl. 40-41) The present inventionrelates to a display mechanism for serially presenting the panels of astrip film or paper roll and, more particularly, to a toy displaymechanism.

It is an object of this invention to provide electromechanical means forpresenting the panels of a scroll member or strip film in such mannerthat pictures or reading materials presented on the panels can be readby the observer.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a structure andmechanism which will simulate a television presentation so that theinterest of children and observers will be directed to the successivepanels introduced before a field of view defined by the TV simulatingstructure.

Another object of this invention is to provide electromechanical drivemeans for moving a strip film or scroll type graphic presentation pastafield of view.

A further object of this invention is to provide a drive mechanism formoving a strip film or scroll member past a viewing window that includesa winding apparatus adapted to change the exposed side of said scroll.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the appended description and drawings, in which FIG. 1 is aperspective View showing the general appearance of a preferredembodiment of this invention,

FIG. 2'is a plan view showing operative features of a winding and rewindmechanism,

FIG. 3 is an elevation in partial section showing a modified form of theinvention,

FIG. 4 is a top plan view showing an alternate usage for the mechanismof the preferred embodiment,

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation showing a revised struc ture asnecessary to provide for the vertical movement of the strip film orscroll,

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional elevation through an embodiment of thisinvention taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 7 is a schematic circuit diagram for one embodiment of theinvention. 7 V

Briefly stated, the present invention provides a structure adapted tosupport and contain a mechanism for rotating a pair of spool members sothat a strip film or scroll may be wound thereon for movement from onespool to another along a path which exposes one side of the strip toview through a viewing opening in an enclosing structure.Electromechanical drive means is provided for rotating and controllingthe movement of said spools and strip member so that graphicrepresentations and items of reading material imprinted on the strip maybe successively brought to a position of view through said opening.Rewinding apparatus is provided for proper scroll storage, anddistinctive guide means are arranged to change the side of the scrollthat is to be exposed on the receiving spool.

The detailed features of embodiments of the invention are shown in theaccompanying drawings. In FIGS. 1 and 2 the elements of a firstembodiment of the invention are shown. Here it will be noted that theinventor provides an enclosing structure 11 of general rectangular shapewith side walls 12 and 13 and a front wall 14. As shown, the front wallprovides an opening or viewing window 16 which is surrounded by adecorative frame 17. The front wall 14 further provides support for aplurality of simulated adjusting buttons 18 as well as for simulated oroperational knobs 19 and 29. A lid 21 is provided so that the interiorof the structure may be opened to 36 may be easily disengaged to exposeall of the members view and for servicing. Legs 22 are aflixed to carryout the TV appearance.

Within the structure .11 a pair of winding spools 23 and 24 are mountedfor free rotational movement about the vertical shafts 26 and 27respectively. The spools provide a pulley type of recess at their upperends adapted to receive and guide a hand drive member 28. This banddrive member 28 passes over each of the pulley segments of the spools 23and 24 and is likewise passed around a drive pulley 29. The drive pulley29 is connected to a gear system 31 so that the pinion gear 32 on asmall electric motor 33 may cause rotation of the gears 31 and of thepulley 29. Rotation of the pulley 29 and of the spools 23 and 24 causesmovement of a scroll or strip member 34 from one spool to the other.Since the strip member 34 is threaded in front of a guide plate 35 andpast the opening or vie-wing window '16, any materials printed on theexterior side of the strip member will be moved into position of viewthrough the opening or viewing window 16. When the strip memlber 34 is astrip film or a paper scroll having items of intelligence or graphicdisplay imprinted thereon, movement of the strip member 34 results inthe serial display of such illustrations through the opening or viewingwindow 16.

In the simplified embodiment of the invention shown a spacer barassembly 36 which includes a cross bar 37 and a web bar 38 is providedto hold the shafts 26 and 27 and pulley 29 in adjusted spaced position.If it is desired to remove the spools 23 and 24 or if the scroll orstrip'member 34 is to be changed, the spacer assembly for removal.

In order to move the strip member 34 past the opening or viewing window16, rotation of the motor 33 is governed and regulated by actuation ofpush button contacts. When used as :a toy, it is contemplated that a drycell battery type of power source will be used. This power source may beconnected electrically to control knobs 19 and 20 in order to direct therotation of the motor in either the forward or reverse direction or, asshown, an auxiliary power pack 41 may be provided. This type of powerpack, which is commercially available, contains the necessary dry cellbatteries. 1

The separate push buttons 39 and 40 of the power pack 41 may be actuatedto induce or reverse the flow of current through the motor 33. With thisarrangement the pushing of a "button 3-? or 40 will cause rotation ofthe motor to move the strip member past the viewing window 16 in a fixeddirection, asdesired. It is intended that pushing of the other buttonwill reverse the winding direction for the strip member 34 either forrewinding purposes or for returning the strip member to an earlier panelpresentation. In the use of the device a child will be able to readseparate panels one after the other to follow the story or informationbeing presented by the scroll or strip member 34.

An alternate arrangement in which the control knobs 19 and 20. on the TVtype enclosing structure 11 are interconnected to a dry cell battery 42disposed within the structure 11 is shown in FIG. 3. In this figure anillustrated panel is shown on the strip member 34.

FIG. 4 is intended to show a different and novel reeving and windingpattern especially adaptable to use where the strip member 34 is ofpaper with the illustrations being presented in serial panels. With thisreeving arrangement of the drive belt 28, the spools 23 and 24 will berotated in opposite directions. Further, since the strip member 34 iswound about the spool 24 in reverse direction, the illustrations thathave been exhibited will be moved to the inside face of the strip memberas it is wound about the spool 24. For this reason the spools 23 and 24may be removed and interchanged in position after a first run, and asuccessive rer-unnin-g of the spools and of the strip member will thenexpose the other side of the strip member and the differentillustrations that may be printed thereon. Double usage of the stripmember results so that separate stories or a continued story may bepresented in this manner on opposite sides of a single strip member.Further, the mechanical interest of the child user will be enhanced inmaking the proper arrangement of the drive belt reeving and of the stripmember threading. Since the invention when used as a toy will beprimarily for the purpose of entertaining instruction, this arrangementis of special benefit. That this additional function is possible throughuse of the same physical elements is of special advantage.

An alternate arrangement is shown in FIG. 5, in which the spools aredisposed for rotation about a horizontal axis. In this arrangementsimilar parts have been given identical numbers to emphasize thesimilarity of structure. Operation of this embodiment of the inventionis similar to that previously described. Likewise, the rewinding featureof FIG. 4 may be incorporated in this arrangement.

FIGURE 6 is provided to show the vertical arrangement of drive elementswithin the display structure 11. Here the arrangement by which thespools 23 and 24 are held in position and apart from each other by thespacer bar assembly 36 is shown. The positioning of the motor 33 so thatit may drive the spools 23 and 24 is also shown.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic illustration of the type of electrical circuitthat may be used in connection with embodiments of this invention. Theelements which are shown by conventional symbols include the motor 33and the battery 42, which may be alternately and selectivelyinterconnected by separate positioning of a doublepull double-throwswitch. In the previously described embodiments of the invention thepush buttons 39 and 40 of the power pack 41 or the control knobs 19 and20 are alternate means which maybe used to complete the circuit throughone or the other of the separate pairs of contacts of the double-pulldouble-throw switch.

While separate embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be apparent that the invention will be adaptable tovarious modifications and changes. While described in connection withthe use of a mechanism as a toy, it should be further obvious that themechanism has potential uses for the display of various items ofintelligence that may be imprinted on the strip member. Accordingly,mechanisms coming within the scope of the hereunto appended claim may beused for the presentation of recipes, strip film images and varioustypes of educational and instructional illustrations.

All such modifications and changes as come within the scope of thehereunto appended claim are deemed to be a part of this invention.

I claim:

A toy display mechanism comprising an enclosing frame structureinclusive of front and side Walls, said front wall of said structurefurther providing a viewing opening, winding spools disposed within saiddame structure on opposite sides of said viewing opening, a strip scrollmember adapted to be wound about said winding spools, panelillustrations on said strip scroll arranged to present related items ofintelligence in serial order, guide means within said structure defininga pathway for the movement of said strip scroll member past the viewingopening to serially expose the panels of said scroll to the observersview, a curved surface on said guide means for selectively directingsaid strip scroll member in clockwise and counter-clockwise directionabout the strip scroll receiving winding spool, a motor drive unit, adrive mechanism connected to said motor, a spacer bar assembly providingbearing support for said winding spools I and drive mechanism forholding said winding spools and drive mechanism in spaced operativearrangement with said winding spools being easily removable when it isdesired to change the strip scroll member, an elastic band drive memberinterconnecting said drive mechanism and winding spools for holding saiditems and spacer bar assembly in operative arrangement for rotating saidspools, electrical control means for selectively rotating said motor,drive mechanism and winding spools in -forward or reverse direction asdesired, said guide means,

curved surface thereon, winding spools and elastic band i drive memberbeing cooperatively adapted for different strip scroll winding patternsand band drive reeving patterns whereby said strip scroll may be woundon the receiving winding spool with the exposed suiiace and the panelillustrations thereon disposed inwardly so that reuse of said spool willexpose the outer surface thereof.

